Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-11-28
THIRST In A CAVERN.
THE TABRRNAGLBsBRMON PREACHED LAST
SUNDAY.
The Well Of Bsthlshsm-Thirstng in WG-fhres
Brave Mems Heroic WOrk-fhe Soul Painting
After GOd-A Drink Of the Fountain
Of Eternal Life.


Special Ttleoram TO the Register.
BROOKLYN, November 27.-This morn
ing at the Tabernacle, after explaining ap-
propriate passages of Scripture, the Rev. I.
De Witt Talmage, d. D., gave out the fol-
lowing hymn, that was sung by the con-
gregation with great heartiness:
Buried in sorrow and in sin
At hell's dark door we lay;
But we arise by grace Divine,
To see glorious day"
The text of the sermon was, "Oh that
one would give me drink of the water Of
the we'll of Bethlehem, which is by the
gate. "-2 Samuel, xiii, Is.
War, always distressing, is especially
ruinous in harvest-tims. When the crops
are all ready for the sickle, to have them
trodden down by cavalry horses and heavy
supply trains gnllying the fields, is enough
to make any mans heart sick. When the
last great war broke out in Europe, and
France and Germany were coming into
horrid collision, rode across their golden
harvests, and saw the tents pitched, and
the trenches dug in the very midst OF the
ripe fields, the long scythe of battle sharp
eniug to NOW down haryests of men in
great winrows of the dead. 1t was at this
season of harvest that the army of the Phil
istines came down upon Bethlehem. Hark
10 the clamor of their voices, the neighing
of their chargers, the blare of their trum-
pets and the clash OF their shields!
Let David and his men fall back. The
Lords hosts sometimes loses the day. But
David knew where 10 hide. He hsd been
brought up in that country. Boys are in
quisitive, and they know all about the
region where they were born and brought
up Ifyou would go back to the old
homestead, you could, with your eyes
shut, fiud your way to the meadow, or the
orchard, or the hill back of the house,
with which you were familiar thirty or
forty years ago. So David knew the cave
of Adullam. Perhaps, in his bOyhood
days he had played "hide-aud-seek" with
his comrades all about the old cave; and
though Others might not have known it,
David did. Travellers say that there is
only one way Of getting into that cave, and
that is by very narrow path; but David
was stout, and steady headed, and steady
a.. ,,1 "a xpit n l,,o fhraa hra, Oh II.
officers, he goes along that path, finds his
way into the cave, sits down, looks around
at the roof and the dark passages of the
mountain,
FEELS VERY WEARY
with the forced march; and water he must
have, or die. / do not know bnt there
may have been drops trinkling down the
sides Of the caverd. or that there may have
been some water in the goat. skin slung Ia
his girdle; but that was not what lie
waited. He wanted deep, full, cold
drink, such as man gets only out Of an
old well with moss covered bucket. David
remembered that very near that cave OF
Adullam there was such a cave rs that, O
well to which he used to 90 in boyhOod-
the we'll of Bethlehem; and he almost i'm.
agined that he could hear the liquid plash
of that well, and his parched tongue moves
through his hot lips rs he says "Oh, that
one would give me drink of the water Of the
we'll of Bethlehem, which is by the gatep'
1t was no sooner said than done. The
three brave staff officers bound to their
feet and start. Brave soldiers will take
even hint from their commander. But
between them and the well lay the host OF
the Philistines; and what could three men
do with great army? Yet where there is
will there is way, and, with their
swords slashing this way and that, they
make their path to the we'll. While the
Philistine5 are amazed at the seeming fool
hardness of these three men, and cannot
make up their minds exactly what it
means, the three men have come TO the
we'll. They drop the bucket. They bring
up the water. They pour it in the pail,
and then start for the cave. 'tStop themr'
cry the Philistines. "Clip them with your
swords! Stab them with your spears! Stop
those three menu Too late They have
got around the hill The hot rocks are
splashed with the overfowing water from
the vessel as it is carried up the cliffs. The
three men 90 along the dangerous path,
and with cheeks flushed with the excite
ment, and all out of breath in their haste
they fling their swords,
RED WITH THE sEIRMIsH,
to the side Of the cave, and cry out to
David, There, captain of the host, is what
you wanted, drink Of the we'll of Beth
lehem, which is by the gate"
A text is of no use to me unless can
fiud Christ in it; and unless can bring a
Gospel ont of these words, that will arouse
and comfort and bless, shall wish l had
never seen them; for your time would be
wasted, and against my soul the dark
record would be made that this day |
stood before great audience of SHINING
suffering, and dying men, and told them
of no rescue. By the cross Of the Son of
God, by the throne of the eternal iudg-
ment, that shall not be! May the Lord
Jesus help me TO tell you the truth to-day!
You know the carrier-pigeons have some
times letters tied under the wing, and they
fiy hundreds Of miles-one hundred miles
in an hour-carrying n message. So
tuOuBuL "Oulu AlhO 70 nave IL now. Ou,
heavenly Dove! bring under thy wing to-
day, to my soul and to the souls of this
people, some message of light, aud love,
and peace!
1t is not an unusual thing to see people
gather around well in summer time.
The husbandman puts down his cradle at
the well curb. The builder puts down his
trowel. The traveller puts down his pack.
Then one draws the water for all the rest,
himself taking the very last. The cup is
passed around, and the fires Of thirst are
put out; the traveller starts on his journey,
and the workman takes up his burden.
My friends, we come to-day around the
Gospel well. We put down our pack Of
burdens, and our implements of toll One
man must draw the water for those who
have gathered around the we'll. will try
and draw the water to-day; and il, after
1 have poured out from
THIS LIVING FOUNTAIN
for your soul, l Just taste of it myself. you
will not begrudge me drink from the
water of the we'll Of Bethlehem, which is
by the gate"
MI. - Ill 1:l-o Al ,-oIt ,-~.I-o,